“What brought you here?”
I shrug: I guess they’ll find out that I don't come from money sooner or later, so it might as well be sooner.
“It’s a long story... But basically my younger brother Ben created this app and he sold it to a huge tech company and they were so impressed that they offered him a job but it was based here in LA. So my Mom decided to homeschool him and let him take this job.”
I don't tell them that he got actually paid five million dollars for his app and the company put us up in a huge house in Beverly Hills.
The house is so big that our furniture feels really sparse in it and you can hear an echo when you walk into a room.
Charlotte doesn’t seem convinced.
“Aren't tech companies normally based in Silicon Valley or something?”
I shrug.
“Ben’s app has to do with movies and the company that bought it has just opened an office here in LA.”
The interrogation isn't over.
“What about your Dad?”
“We don't really see him much. He divorced my Mom when Ben was still a baby and he lives in Seattle. He doesn't have custody...”
Mom is a cop and she found a job with the LAPD so the move was easy on everybody and her sister, my aunt Helen, who moved to LA twenty years ago and married a rich guy was the one who suggested BHPA for me.
My oldest cousin graduated high school from here three years ago and is now attending pre-med at Harvard.
“So, do you have a boyfriend? Or did you have a boyfriend in Chicago?”
I shake my head.
What I don't tell them is that I’ve actually never had a boyfriend.
I had a hopeless crush on my best friend Sean.
Sean and I used to spend every minute of everyday together until last year.
My junior year was the hardest year of my life so far: Sean got a girlfriend, someone from his church.
Obviously his girlfriend didn't like him spending all his time with me and even though Sean tried to make time for me, for the first few months, I didn't see a lot of him.
I didn't like his girlfriend Clara: she had this little prim and proper façade but I heard rumours that she actually slept around a lot.
I was absolutely heartbroken because Sean was my first love and I couldn't get over the fact that my love for him was unrequited.
And I was beating myself up because I had never had the courage to come clean about my real feelings for him and now he was with someone else.
That was until one night during spring break when he confessed that things between he and Clara weren't going too well and that he felt like he’d made the wrong choice in dating her.
We were at a party at one of our friend's lake house and there had been vodka passed around in red solo cups.
So I felt braver than normal and I had hugged him tight: he’d looked into my eyes for the longest time and then he’d kissed me.
It had been my first kiss and that night, alone in my bed, I thought that my heart was going to burst out of happiness.
But the day after, Sean had come to see me and the look on his face had told me straight away that it wasn't good news.
He confessed that he regretted our kiss, that he'd been drunk and had told Clara.
“She agreed not to break up with me but under one condition: that I never see you again. We hurt her, Ayla. You hurt her. So... I’m sorry but I can't hang out with you anymore.”
My heart had shattered into a million pieces and it didn't matter that Clara had dumped Sean two months later for the basketball team captain, our friendship could never be the same again.
“Do you like any of the boys in our class?”
Charlotte asks, adjusting her glasses on her freckled nose.
We are walking around the running track while our teacher is collecting from us the sheets signed by our parents after the medical with the school doctor that we had last week in preparation for the beginning of the school year.
I make a non-committal noise: Alex and his friends are really hot but I’m not about to admit to that, especially since I have no idea if any of my fellow A-Class students are dating each other.
I know that Sam isn't dating anyone right now... Or at least he's no longer dating Michelle.
Jenna narrows her huge brown eyes: she’s tall and thin, with long wavy black hair and a warm complexion.
She looks like an Italian actress or supermodel.
“You must have noticed the three most attractive boys at BHPA, right? You can be naive maybe but I’m sure you aren't blind.”
And then she proceeds to tell me all about Alex and his besties who are all called... Alex?
“He’s the only one allowed to go by his given name in their group, he’s the alpha. That’s what A-Team stands for. Every guy in our school wants to be one of them because they always have the best parties, the best girls, they rule the school. If Alex, Sam or Tuna say no to something, it doesn't happen.”
So, maybe I am naive but how can a normal boy have so much power over others?
Jenna and Charlotte stop at the edge of the field, away from gossipy ears and lower their voices for good measure.
“If Alex says you are done, you are done. No one will ever invite you to a party, people will actually enforce what he says. All because every single guy at BHPA wants to be Alex and every single girl wants to date him. Or one of his friends since it's the next best thing. Don’t cross them and you’ll be fine here at BHPA. Otherwise, the saying ‘social suicide’ will take a whole new meaning.”
“Yeah. Like Tuna’s ex-girlfriend: she cheated on him last year.
They had been together for six months and Tuna was really in love with her. She thought she could do better than Tuna and she offered Alex to have sex with him at a party. The guys are really loyal to one another and not only was Jessica kicked out of the party, by Monday it was like she was invisible. Not even the teachers spoke to her anymore.”
That sounds quite far fetched and I voice my opinion which earns me a head shake from Jenna.
“The day after, she deleted all her social media. A week later, she transferred to a boarding school in England.”
“Ok but what about Michelle then?”
The other two girls look confused.
“What about her?”
I tell them about the conversation I witnessed this morning while I was looking for our classroom and this time, I earn a smirk.
“Michelle's a little bit of a different matter. She had been dating Sam since sophomore year. They were each other's firsts. She’s the cheerleading captain, so she's as high up on the food chain as you can be without being one of the A-Team. They’ve been on and off constantly because Michelle can't keep her panties on. Sam keeps taking her back, eventually... But if this time he's really done with her, it'll will be fun to watch her fall from grace.”
This is why I’ve always had guys as best friends: girls are mean. Guys tend to stick together while girls will claw each other's eyes out simply because someone has a better pair of shoes or a nicer dress.
“So I take it she isn't your friend? Even though you and the A-Team are friends?”
Jenna wears a little smirk on her face:
“Friends? Hell, no! She’s a real cunt!”
I wince at the use of the C-word.
I really dislike that word but Jenna doesn't seem to notice and explains that she wasn't always the pretty girl I have in front of me.
“Freshman year I was... Short, fat and wore braces. I don't think Alex and the others even knew that I existed.
But, I was tutoring Tuna in biology and he gave me a pity invitation to one of their parties.”
I’m about to object to the ‘pity invitation’, saying that perhaps Tuna was just being friendly but Jenna continues:
“No one obviously was even talking to me at the party except for EM. The other pity invitation. We talked, he asked me to dance ... he was my first kiss that night. He aske
d me to be his girlfriend...”
“So are you dating EM?”
She shakes her head with real sadness in her brown eyes:
“We didn't last till the end of classes on the following Monday. Michelle saw us kissing in front of my locker and by lunch time she’d created a poll on Facebook about the ugliest couple at BHPA. Like a Reverse Prom court type of thing and we were her first choice.
In the lead by a landslide. Everyone was laughing at us and somehow at the end of the day, I found a crown in my locker. Like for Prom Queen...”
I’m a little confused but Jenna’s face is pale and I see some unshed tears in her eyes when she reminisces.
“The crown was made of braces stuck together with chewing gum and there was a sash to go with it that said Ugly Prom Queen...”
Ok. Michelle is a cunt.
“So do you have a boyfriend now?”
I ask trying to distract Jenna from her sad memories:
“Josh. The drama club president.”
I’m surprised because Jenna seems the popular type.
“Not one of the A-Team?”
“I stay away from their drama, from their power games and their lives of fast cars and even faster girls. Josh is popular enough that he hangs with the cool crowd but he isn't trying to be BHPA’s king. If you’re smart, you’ll find someone like him.”
2.
Staying Away
Ayla
SO I TRY TO LISTEN to Jenna’s advice and stay away from the A-Team and from EM because I see Jenna's lingering looks towards the ugly duckling turned oh so fucking hot.
Obviously I see all four guys constantly in class and I realize that they're all really smart.
I probably should have expected it since they all made the A-Class but it certainly doesn't fit in the stereotype you’d expect from a bunch of jocks.
And feeling Alex’s eyes on me wasn't just a mix of wishful thinking and paranoia: I catch him staring at me with those unnerving dark blue eyes and I wonder what he's thinking because his expression is quite hard to read.
He does lift the corner of his mouth in the faintest hint of a smile though whenever he catches me looking at him and I hate the fact that I can feel myself blush and that makes his smile widen just a touch.
I spend most of my time at school with Jenna and Charlotte and catch Michelle glaring at me in the hallways from time to time.
I haven't seen Sam as much as look at her at school, however I’ve caught him glaring at me sometimes.
Whatever!
I know his “girlfriend” took an instant dislike to me but it isn't my fault if that argument they had because he was looking at my boobs ruined his daily morning blow job in the parking lot.
Or at least this is what I heard from Jenna who's on the cheerleading squad.
“That bitch has got a target on your back, Ayla. Whatever you did to piss her off, I suggest you stay the hell away from her. She's a nasty enemy to have.”
Jenna looks worried when she says that and her expression doesn't help steady my nerves.
“Jen, seriously I haven't done anything. I’ve barely said two words to her and as for Sam... I’ve never said one single word to him.”
Charlotte sighs.
“Just be careful. Perception around here is everything and if people thought that you were after something Michelle wants...”
“But I’m not!”
I scoff exasperated.
“I know. Just stay away from her.”
It's finally Friday and our arts teacher has tasked us with taking interesting photos around school that we’ll be required to digitally edit to create art.
I’m using a side entrance to come back inside the main building from the basketball and tennis courts area and as I shut the door behind me, I see Tuna coming out from an empty classroom, closely followed by Heather, one of the girls in our class.
His hazel eyes catch mine for a brief moment and he looks guilty for some reason.
He averts his gaze and walks away, Heather right behind him, purposely avoiding meeting my eye.
So I bet he's getting blowjobs too or something and instead of taking photos around the school, this was his chosen activity.
I sigh and make my way to the cafeteria for lunch.
I’ve been sitting with Jenna and Charlotte all week.
Our table is close to one of the windows that looks out to the school garden and Josh and some of his drama club people sit with us.
Nearby is the A-Team table where mostly the A-Team and the football team sit.
The cheerleaders sit at a nearby table and I heard that Michelle is livid that Sam won't take her back because as the only “girlfriend” of one of the A-Team she had a spot at Alex’s table which she has now lost.
EM is sitting with them today and as all the guys sit down, Alex throws a varsity jacket at him with a sardonic little smirk.
“Welcome to the team, dude! You can sit with us at lunch from today...”
EM has the biggest smile on his face: honestly that’s a bit ridiculous.
It’s just a table in a school cafeteria.
I’m happy I have someone to sit with, I seriously don't care which table or what status that’s supposed to give me.
I notice Jenna staring at EM and Josh staring at Jenna staring at EM.
I'm so busy wondering if I should tell her that her boyfriend seemed really bothered by the attention she was showing towards her ex that I don't see him until he's standing right in front of me.
He hasn't spoken directly to me since our first day of school on Monday.
His voice is deep and calm, almost a lazy drawl.
His dark blue eyes are intense and locked onto mine while he’s towering over me.
“We are going to the movies tonight. I’ll pick you up at seven...”
All of a sudden the whole cafeteria becomes quiet: you could hear the proverbial pin drop.
Every single person has stopped talking and is looking at our exchange.
I look at him without speaking and I know that from the outside, I might look like an idiot just sitting there with my gaze lifted to Alex’s but on the inside, my mind is racing at a thousand miles per second.
Do I want to go out with him?
Duh, yes!
Duh, no!
I mean, yes but I’m terrified about it.
I’ve never been on a date before and starting with someone like Alex Richmond is like...Trying to ride a bike without training wheels.
The problem is...
I can't be picked up by him!
My Mom has the night off tonight and she's super strict.
I know I’m almost eighteen but I’ve never dated, so I don't know if she’d allow me but I suspect that she wouldn't.
Certainly not without Alex subjecting himself to a thorough interrogation and...
Yeah, somehow he doesn't strike me like the kind of guy who would sit in my living room, letting my mother good cop him and bad cop him at the same time.
“We’re going as a group. Tuna, Sam and EM will be there, Jenna and Char and a few other people. Right, Jen?”
The look he gives Jenna is intimidating, as if he were challenging her to dare not comply with his order.
And Jenna falls in line by nodding and looking at me with wide eyes, silently urging me not to be stupid.
“I... I’ll meet you there. Jenna and I were going out shopping anyway so...”
That seems to appease him and he nods.
“Seven thirty at the movie theatre, the one that shows the classics.
Jenna knows which one. We’ll be going out for drinks after the movie.”
He walks away and everyone around me seems to let out a collective breath they were all holding.
Chatter starts again and I don't need divination powers to know that they're all talking about what just happened.
“Are we going shopping?”
Jenna looks amused.
“I... I panicked.”
“No shit!”
I explain about my Mom being super strict and Jenna sighs.
“Do you have a curfew?”
“Oh, I don't know. I...”
I explain that in Chicago I never went out much.
Before junior year, I used to spend all my weekends with Sean and we would hang out mostly at my house, his house or the church youth club.
“Mom was all right with that because Sean's Mom is her bestie. They even let us sleepover because they trusted each other's supervision. So we really didn't need a curfew, I guess.”
What I don't tell Jenna is that after the famous kiss at the lake house, Sean and I stopped hanging out and I spent all my weekends reading in my room or watching movies with Ben when he wasn't out at the skate park with his friends.
“Sleepover? That’s it! We’ll tell your Mom that you're sleeping over at my house. And you can definitely do that for real. Char, are you in?”
I object that Mom will still want to talk to Jenna’s Mom but my new friend dismisses my worries with a wink.
“I’ll have my housekeeper call your Mom impersonating mine. She's done it before. My Mom’s the DA and she's too busy to ‘Mom me’, especially now that I’m eighteen but it's been this way since freshman year. Don't worry, I got you covered.”
Char asks:
“What are you going to wear? This is a really big deal, Ayla. I mean, it's Alex...”
I’m at a loss for words: I’ve no idea what these rich kids wear for a night at the movies here in Beverly Hills.
I admit that much and Jenna scoffs frustrated.
“Ok, you’ll borrow some of my clothes.”
I look dubious: she’s much taller and thinner than I am.
“Ok! Whatever! Char, your clothes should fit Ayla. Six o’clock sharp and bring options.”
Char squeals excitedly, something about a makeover and the rest of the school day passes in a daze: I’m going out with Alex.
I GROAN.
“Are you sure that this is going to be ok? I... I don't really look like me.”
My new girlfriends smile satisfied: their arms folded over their chests in a matching stance that almost looks practiced.
“What do you say, Jen?”
The Initiation: A High School Light Bully Romance (Beverly Hills Prep Academy Book 1) Page 2
